


Friendship, Family, and That Weird Friend of Uncle Scrooge’s We’re Not Supposed to Really Talk About

by Lieju



Category: Disney Duck Universe, Disney Ducks (Comics)
Genre: M/M, told from donald's pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-04 02:55:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12761652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lieju/pseuds/Lieju
Summary: When Donald looked back, he wondered if he should have figured something out sooner. Maybe it had been going on for years before that day? He had no idea and couldn't really just ask.And it only became more obvious later, even if no one still actually talked about it. At some point you could definitely guess. Make some assumptions. But the first time Donald had definitely realized something was up was at his 35th birthday on Grandma's farm when Scrooge brought a friend with him.





	Friendship, Family, and That Weird Friend of Uncle Scrooge’s We’re Not Supposed to Really Talk About

 

When Donald looked back, he wondered if he should have figured something out sooner. Maybe it had been going on for years before that day? He had no idea and couldn't really just _ask._

And it only became more obvious later, even if no one still actually talked about it. At some point you could definitely guess. Make some assumptions. But the first time Donald had definitely realized something was up was at his 35th birthday on Grandma's farm when Scrooge brought a friend with him.

Donald scanned the room full of people. At this stage of the party everyone had moved into their little groups, the kids especially. Daisy was chatting with Grandma Duck, Fethry was explaining something to Gladstone-

It seemed like everyone had agreed to just ignore Flintheart Glomgold who was sitting in a corner in the most uncomfortable-looking chair in the room, glumly eating strawberry cake. In fact Donald was fairly sure he hadn't said a word to anyone after the nod and 'hello' he had given to stunned Donald after walking in after Scrooge. Scrooge himself had seemingly completely ignored his existence, and was at the moment filling his plate with cupcakes at the table.

Donald walked up to him.

”Uncle Scrooge?”

Scrooge looked up. ”Hm?”

”So, um... Why.”

Scrooge turned back towards the table. ”Why what?”

”Why is Glomgold here?”

Scrooge stuffed his bill full of cupcakes and shrugged.

Determined to not let him off the hook so easily Donald stood there while he chewed. Just as he swallowed and was about to walk away to get more cupcakes, Donald asked again.

”Is this some kind of a... Business... thing..?”

Granted he had no idea how that'd explain the fact Glomgold had been apparently invited to his birthday party. But it was as likely a guess as any really.

”Grandma has really outdone herself this time, these blueberry cakes are wonderful.”

”Thanks. I made those,” Donald said. ”Also they're chocolate.”

”Same thing really, now if you excuse me-”

Donald let him wander off. Something was definitely up! He had expected Scrooge to tell him he could invite whoever he wanted. Or to at least try to make up an excuse, instead of... nothing.

Donald glanced at the corner where Glomgold had sat down. He had apparently been eating that piece of cake for at least half an hour, mostly pushing the last tiny piece around with his spoon.

Donald took a plate of cupcakes and walked across the room.

He ignored the angry glare effortlessly.

”Good evening. Would you want some?”

Free food seemed to be tempting enough and he reached to take two.

”Yes,” after some hesitation he added: ”thank you.”

”Chocolate cupcakes. Got the recipe from my Grandma, she used to make these when I was a kid.”

”Hm.”

Donald stood there, determined to find out something. And it was up to him to be a good host wasn't it?

”If you're standing here waiting for a gift, the one Scrooge gave you was from both of us.”

”Oh, so instead of the usual six supermarket donuts past their sell-by date Uncle Scrooge got me _three_ this year? The three rutabaga-creme ones were from _you_.”

”Did you want something? Donald, was it?”

Donald stared at him. Glomgold knew full well who he was. Was he trying to pretend he didn't remember all those times they had met? Although presumably bringing up the times he had pointed a gun at him might have had brought the mood down a little...

Donald gave him his biggest smile. Well if he was planning to pretend they were strangers, _fine._ ”Yes, Donald Duck. I think you know my uncle? Scrooge McDuck.”

”Erm, yes. I believe we've met.” Glomgold looked around, looking nervous for a fraction of a second before glaring at Donald again.

”Nice party,” he mumbled before stuffing his bill with cupcakes.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Donald wasn't sure if anyone had asked Scrooge about it later. After the party Scrooge, Glomgold and Donald had all gotten in Donald's car and he had driven them first to Glomgold's Duckburg office and then after dropping Glomgold off, taken Scrooge to the Money Bin. The trip had been silent, but at least sort of familiar, even if 'an awkward trip together after Glomgold tried to get us killed for the whole adventure' wasn't quite the same as 'an awkward trip together after Glomgold had been grumpily eating cake in a corner very pointedly not socializing for the whole party'.

Donald wasn't sure if it was an improvement.

But now Donald started paying attention to the two. And he did notice a change in their interaction.

It had become far _colder_.

Donald was used to having to drag the two apart, and listen to them throw childish insults at each other, but now whenever they happened to meet Glomgold at an auction or a similar event, his interaction with Scrooge was far more distant. Less heated. Outright polite.

Which in itself was enough to make Donald uneasy. But it was none of his business and this was better anyway. He had always been mostly embarrassed by their scuffles.

But sometimes there was something else. Something Donald couldn't quite put his finger on...

 

 

* * *

 

 

He probably had on some level suspected. But it wasn't until _that_ day that Donald was certain.

He had been summoned by nightly wailing once again, and hurried to Scrooge's bin. It had been a while actually. Donald had almost gotten used to getting a good night's uncleless sleep. He opened the door to the bedroom. And almost collided with Glomgold.

Glomgold in a nightgown.

”Um,” was all Donald could say.

”He's fine!” Glomgold said, almost defensively.

”I AM NOT!” came from the bed.

Glomgold glared at Donald. ”Why are _you_ here?”

Donald stumbled, confused at the implication it was _him_ who was out of place here. ”I just... Came to see if Uncle Scrooge was okay-”

”Of course he is okay! He is just being a whiny baby!” Flinty pulled his jacket over his nightgown.

”Lies!” Scrooge yelled. ”Donald, I just got word, I lost my feather duster monopoly!”

”I see.” Donald eyed the bedroom. It had been a while since he had been there but there were signs everywhere that it had been shared by two people for a while now. Donald stared at the two pillows on Scrooge's bed. Maybe he was still asleep?

”Did _I_ complain when you outbid me in the auction for the Duckinn hotel chain?” Glomgold asked while pulling his spats on.

”Yes!” Scrooge threw a pillow at him. ”Yes you did! You heartless wanna-be tycoon!”

Glomgold caught the pillow. ”Not this much! But did I expect anything better from a has-been beggar? No!”

With a slam of the door he was gone.

Donald stood middle of the room. ”So, um... F-featherdusters?”

* * *

 

Of course, again, no one mentioned the incident afterwards. Probably for the best. Donald wondered if everyone knew. Little by little it was almost starting to feel like an open secret, even if no one really made any uncomfortable assumptions about the _exact_ nature of their relationship.

Donald certainly didn't.

But Flintheart kept showing up at family gatherings, and everyone just collectively made the decision to refer to him as 'Uncle Scrooge's friend' and leave it at that.

And both of them were getting on in years anyway so it was just to be expected they'd be less and less active and go on treasure hunts less and less and clash over things far more rarely...

It was fine. It really was.

And yet Donald was bothered by it.

He watched the two sit together at the Huey's Dewey's and Louie's High-school graduation ceremony. They were talking about something, Donald couldn't quite hear what. And that bothered him too. Why Glomgold of all people? Well, presumably they were a good match....At least they were both equally impossible. Miserly. Ridiculous. But Flintheart was still not someone Donald would have ever guessed Scrooge would... _like._

Donald admitted to himself, he hadn't seen it coming. And even once he had he hadn't _done_ anything about it. Not that he should have done anything. Probably. But still! Uncle Scrooge could have done better, surely?

He watched his uncle eplain something to Flintheart with a smile on his face.

He should have done more, Donald decided. But maybe he was just feeling a bit left out. Which was ridiculous. Obviously. Scrooge was an adult. Him feeling the same way about this as when his nephews had started to date was ridiculous!

And it wasn't like he had tried to separate them (even if the thought had occurred to him).

But he hadn't been exactly helpful either (not that he would have known what to do anyway).

With some guilt Donald realized he hadn't exactly invited Flintheart here. No one ever did, he just showed up with Scrooge.

Maybe next time he should.

 


End file.
